Winter has officially arrived in Northern Colorado! As the snow melts, you might discover that your old skylights have sprung a leak. Heinsight Solutions is your answer! Give us a call and we will send a certified Velux Signature technician to come take a look, evaluate the problem, and provide options to repair the problem or replace the skylight. Sometimes it’s difficult to determine the damage from the outside. Skylights can appear to be solid, but mask damage underneath.
We are dedicated to being a green business and will always try to repair a problem instead of replacing whenever possible. It’s always best to address problems with skylights right away to prevent drywall and other interior damage. Heinsight Solutions offers many styles and options to meet your needs and your budget.
Heinsight Solutions can now provide homeowners with a powerful financing tool to help cover the costs of Skylight installation and repair. Whether you’re in an emergency situation or you just want to get your skylights installed right away, financing can be a helpful way to get your project completed on your timeline. Through coordination with Velux USA and Enerbank, you can get your project funded without using your home as collateral, and there are no application fees. The process is simple, and you can have an answer in minutes! Visit https://enerbank.com/homeowner for more details.
Remember-the Federal 26% Tax Credit for solar products continues through the end of 2022!
Skylights don’t just look great, they’re good for the planet!
Home heating costs contribute 8% of the carbon pollution in industrialized nations! That’s a lot of carbon footprint, second only to cars and the trucking industry. The good news is innovative technologies and research are helping homeowners do their own part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The even better news is that you don’t have to wait for miracle solutions to come along, there are small things you can do right now to reduce your own carbon footprint and save you money in the process.
Obviously, skylights provide natural light for your home, decreasing your overall energy costs. Both traditional skylights and tubular skylights are an excellent way to lighten up the dark places in your home and reduce the need to “flip the switch”.
But there’s better news! New research into Passive Solar Heating indicates that installing traditional skylights in your home reduces your need to tap into fossil fuels to heat your home. Here in the mountain west, Passive Solar Heating can’t take over for our traditional heating methods, but it can cut heating costs.
What’s Passive Solar Heating?
Passive Solar Heating is that warm feeling you get when you stand next to a sunny window. When skylights are installed on the south-facing side of a roof, you can take advantage of the heat exchange which comes from those sun-filled windows, particularly in Colorado where we are blessed with plenty of sunshine even in the winter. Homeowners can take advantage of this heat gain even further with the installation of a simple ceiling fan.
Won’t this make my house too warm in the summer?
While it’s true that heat will continue to accumulate in the summer, Heinsight Solutions offers several options to manage interior climate controls. We offer solar-powered and manual venting skylights which can be used to allow extra summer heat to escape from the home. The solar-powered skylights can be activated using a remote control or the Velux Active System phone app. With this wonderful and handy app, you can program your skylights to vent or close at certain hours of the day or when the exterior temperature and weather and interior conditions warrant. They have an acoustic rain sensor that will automatically close the skylight when it rains and a venting feature to release heat when needed. You can also operate your skylights from anywhere that you have phone or internet service.
Another excellent feature of our Velux Skylights is the factory installed blind options. Solar blinds can be activated using the same remote control or Active System app to open and close as needed and can be programmed to close during the hottest time of the day. We offer two styles—light filtering blinds that allow some light to enter the room even when closed, which is great for a kitchen, laundry room, or bathroom, and room darkening blinds that block out approximately 90% of the sunlight and are perfect for bedrooms and living rooms where the light interferes with sleep or casts a glare on your TV or computer monitor. The blinds come in over 100 style and color choices so you can customize their look to match your home décor. See your style options here: https://www.veluxusa.com/products/blinds
What else can I do to reduce my carbon footprint?
Heinsight Solutions is a company dedicated to providing low-cost energy saving products and services. We offer attic insulation which helps keep the attic space cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter and having us insulate the area during a skylight or Sun Tunnel installation is an easy way to reduce heat gain and loss.
The Little Green Machine solar attic vent is one more item in our energy saving toolbox. This is a simple to install, low-cost way to help release the build-up of hot air inside the attic during hot weather. Utilizing solar power instead of electricity, this handy addition can not only save on cooling costs, but it costs nothing to run thanks to its self-contained solar panel.
Solar Night Lights are installed inside the tubular Sun Tunnel skylights. These handy lights collect energy during the day and turn on automatically once the sun sets to provide low light, which is great for bathrooms and hallways.
Are there any incentives for installing skylights or Sun Tunnels?
The federal government offers homeowners a 26% tax credit for all solar products through the end of 2022. This means that the tax credit applies to the entire installation including labor, not just for the product itself. Provided the homeowner lives in the home for at least 50% of the year, and the product includes a solar energy feature, you can claim this credit at the end of the year. Heinsight Solutions provides you with all the necessary paperwork needed for your end of the year tax filing process. Installing Skylights and other energy saving products in your home is a win-win win—the environment through reduction of heating costs, savings in electric lighting needs, and the satisfaction of having contributed to the reduction of carbon emissions while being able to enjoy the excellent views, added daylight, and aesthetic beauty of new skylights or Sun Tunnels.
Summer is coming, and this year is the year! You’re going to remodel your house and add some solar power to help cut down on energy costs! It’s the right move, for sure. We’re here to make sure you know all the ins and outs of solar power before you proceed, so you get the best bang for your buck!
Way more than solar panels – There are many products that qualify for a federal tax credit, than just the huge, roof -sized solar panels. If you project budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, consider something smaller. At Heinsight Solutions, we offer solar powered skylights, solar attic fans, solar blinds, and even a solar powered night light for Sun Tunnels. All of these will help increase energy efficiency in your home, without breaking the bank
Tax Credits – Solar powered products do a lot more than just reduce energy usage. The cost for parts and installation for solar products qualifies for a federal tax credit! Through the end of 2019 the credit is 30%. Through the end of 2020, it’s 26%, and through 2021, it’s 22%. After that, there is a possibility that the credit will go away. That means if you are planning to upgrade to solar, it is best to do it sooner rather than later!
So Many Options – As far as skylights are concerned, your options for solar products are limitless. Fixed or manually venting skylights with solar blinds qualify for the credit; Solar powered skylights with or without blinds qualify; Sun Tunnels with solar night lights qualify! Any time there is an option to add a federal tax credit to one of our estimates, we do it!
Know What You Will Need – In order to apply for the federal tax credit, you will need a copy of your paid invoice with the solar product (parts and labor) itemized out. You will also need a copy of your manufacturer’s certificate – this verifies that the product on the invoice is a solar product. That’s it! It’s a super simple process, as long as you have all of your documents in order.
Now that you are Solar Credit Savvy, what home improvements are you going to make this Summer?
Whether you are dealing with the most recent BOMB CYCLONE, or you are simply ready to replace your roof, there is no better time to install or replace skylights. Here are a few tips from your favorite skylight contractor for how to coordinate this work!
Call in advance – There is no way to know if your skylight installation/replacement will be easy or super straight forward. Therefore, giving some notice that you are going to be having a re-roof is extremely helpful, to make sure you get exactly what you want. We’re not talking a year in advance (for most projects), but maybe a few months’ heads up could mean the difference between slapping on whatever is available and getting the skylights of your dreams. (Psst. This also gives you some extra time to save up!)
Introduce your roofer to your skylight contractor – This tip will save you on the hassle! Working to schedule two businesses to come to your home at the same time can be a nightmare. Getting your contractors introduced means that they will take care of the coordination and you can just sit back and relax! Better yet, you can make sure that your contractors are coordinating their estimates so that you are not double charged for any materials (ie. shingles included on both estimates).
Make sure parts are matching up – If you are having your roof replaced with a different material than what is there now, make sure that the parts you are putting on your roof match up! A metal roof requires a different flashing kit than a shingle roof. The same goes for tile or shake shingle. Making sure the correct parts are installed around your skylight during the re-roof will save you a lot of hassle down the line.
Protect your warranty – If you have existing skylights that are under warranty, call your company and see what needs to be done to protect your warranty. Most companies (us included) have a clause that says if work is done, beyond the original installation, it could void the labor warranty. While the new work is most likely covered under the new contractors warranty, it is best to get the opinion of the original installer prior to proceeding with work!
The season is coming where its out with the old roof, and in with the new! Let us know how we can help bring in some natural daylight with your shiny new roof!
The Winter is upon us! So, if you’re anything like me, you may be noticing more cold spots in your home, especially when you’re on the upper level. This could mean that your attic is poorly insulated, which may mean that it’s time to get some insulation installed! Little known fact: Heinsight Solutions has all the tools and material necessary to insulate a standard sized attic. But what are a few things to remember, as you embark on your insulation adventure?
All insulation is not created equal – depending on your needs and the space you are trying to fill, there are different kinds of insulation that may best suit your needs
Batts – These are thick insulation rolls that are intended to fit between standard framing
Rolls – These are ideal for spaces where a longer section of insulation may be more beneficial
Loose fill/Blown in – Ideal for hard to reach areas or where a small layer of insulation may already exist **Heinsight’s preferred method**
Make sure to be aware of any requirements that need to be met
R-Value – This is how resistant your insulation is to heat induction. A typical R-value is between 38 and 60
Distance between insulation and roof line – Make sure there is enough space between the topmost layer of insulation and the roof line. A clear sign that there is not enough space is discoloration in the existing insulation, which implies that water from condensation got trapped and could not evaporate.
What to expect from installation
Colorado Winters can be brutal or incredibly mild from day to day. This means that when you embark on this project, you should plan your clothing accordingly. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a hot attic in a heavy coat!
While simple to do, insulation installation can be time consuming and cumbersome. Make sure that you have a tall enough ladder to safely access your attic, and that you are able to get up and down the ladder for many trips.
Buddy system – while it isn’t impossible to do insulation by oneself, the process is much simpler with a friend!
As always, know your community
Make sure your local hardware store has all the equipment you may need to proceed with insulation installation before scheduling a day to start.
If you run into any issues with insulation, have a contractor you trust who can walk you through basic solutions (We volunteer as tribute)!
If you are thinking of installing insulation in your attic, mention this article for 5% off of your order! All estimates are free, and we will only charge for the materials we use!
CONTACT
2415 E. Mulberry St.
Suite 11
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970)988-3622
heinsightsolutions@gmail.com
SERVING
Northern Colorado
Fort Collins
Loveland
Greeley
Cheyenne
Boulder
Front Range
SERVICES
skylights, sun tunnels, roof windows, tubular skylights, sun tube, solar tube, solatube, skylight window, installation, repair
